THE POPULIST SOVEREIGNIST RATIONALE

General

• Populist sovereignist parties commonly define the interests of the nation-state in terms of the interests of the ethno-cultural people. Advocating the interests of the nation-state typically includes advocating a nativist vision that protects national culture and the national way of life.
• Decreasing immigration and thereby decreasing multiculturalism is seen as a way to maintain the unity of the nation-state. For populist sovereignist parties returning power to ‘the people’ means returning power to the native, non-elite people of the state.
• Reducing supranational jurisdiction that circumscribes national self-determination is an important foreign policy objective for nearly all populist sovereignist parties. They state that national law has priority over international law. Populist sovereignist parties do not necessarily reject international engagement. Participation in intergovernmental organizations is deemed to be acceptable so long as it serves the interests of the nation-state. Rather than being isolationist, populist sovereignist parties advocate strategies that cherry-pick international commitments that suit one’s purpose.
• Populist sovereignist parties across the board want to increase national control over trade and economic policies in particular. However, that does not necessarily imply a return to protectionism in all cases.

Attitude towards the EU

1. Reclaiming the sovereignty and self-determination of European nations is the main goal of the Populist/Sovereignty parties where it concerns the EU. Several populist sovereignist parties therefore argue for a confederation of European states held together by looser supranational structures than currently exist: a ‘Europe of the Fatherlands’ (Austria’s FPÖ), a ‘Community of Communities’ (Hungary’s Fidesz), or a ‘Europe of Nations ’ (Rassemblement National).
2. Populist sovereignist parties generally insist that authority should shift away from Brussels towards the national legislatures of individual countries. Several parties propose significantly restructuring, leaving, or holding a referendum on leaving the EU or the euro. Others hope to significantly alter the current EU framework and EU competencies. They imagine a vastly reformed EU with less control over nation states and less integration. The idea of an ‘ever closer union’ is one they decidedly reject. They argue for a reinstatement of national borders.
3. Populist sovereignists oppose the idea to transform the European Union into a centralized federal state.
4. Populist sovereignists  are in favour of returning the European Union to an economic union based on shared interests, and consisting of sovereign, but loosely connected nation states.
5. Populist sovereignist despise the creation of a ‘United States of Europe’ or a ‘European Superstate’ in particular. European parties describe their ideal EU as ‘Europe for the Europeans’, a ‘Europe of the Fatherlands’, or ‘Europe of the Nations’. The majority of populist sovereignist parties still want cooperation across European states. However, nearly all insist that authority should shift away from Brussels and towards the national legislatures of individual countries..
6. Populist sovereignists believe in national sovereignty which guarantees the freedom and security of their citizens, promotes economic welfare, and contributes to a peaceful and prosperous Europe.
7. Populist sovereignists believe in the freedom of the European nations devoid of foreign paternalism. They argue that structures based on the rule of law, economic prosperity, as well as a stable and equitable social system should be regarded as national responsibilities.
8. Populist sovereignists support structural reforms to strengthen the international competitiveness of European states, but are decidedly opposed to a transfer union and any efforts towards centralization.  
9. Populist sovereignists advocate the strict retention of the principle of subsidiarity and the restoration of powers to the nation states. For them, the vision of a centralized European state inevitably entails the loss of sovereignty of individual EU member states and their constituent populations.
10. Populist sovereignists believe that the national democracies, created by their nations in painful history, are able to offer their citizens the necessary and desired framework for identification and shelter. According to them, only they can offer the greatest possible rights of individual and collective freedom and only they can maintain and ensure these rights.
11. Populist sovereignists hold the view that promises that communities and international organisations can be a substitute for functioning democratic nation states are not being kept and are unfeasible. Furthermore they believe that increasing centralization of sovereignty rights, and attempts to create a European federal state, are irrational and not sustainable.
12. Populist sovereignists believe that he governing bodies of the EU, especially the Council of Ministers, the EU Commission, and the EU Parliament are not sufficiently and democratically legitimized. For them, these deficiencies in the system, and the officebearers’ remoteness from daily life, have promoted the creation of excessive powers and bureaucratic structures.

Summary

• Increase direct democracy (i.e. more referenda)
• Protect and uphold the national or traditional way of life
• Supports monoculturalism as opposed  to multiculturalism
• Decrease immigration
• Reinstate or reinforce border controls
• The welfare system must be protected from immigrants
• Increase territorial security
• Participate in international laws and organizations
• Increase national control over inter/supranational organizations
• National law has priority over international law
• Reallocate resources from international to national level
• Take back/maintain national control of policy-making
• Decrease EU integration or number of EU competencies
• Leave the EU/hold a referendum to leave the EU
• Leave the euro/the euro is detrimental